Conventional wireless communication devices typically have the ability to be connected to a remote device that runs an application that may duplicate certain functions of the handset. For example, an application running on a remote device may include a contact manager that duplicates the ability to add, delete, modify, and otherwise manage the contacts on the handset. Many of the functions of the phone book on the handset are duplicated by the application on the remote device.
The problem with these types of remote device connections and functionality duplication is that state ambiguities can exist between the remote device and the handset if the user is allowed to change data through both the application on the remote device and the user interface on the handset. Additionally, ambiguities in state can be created when an application is running on the handset with the remote device providing the input to the application and an incoming call is answered by pressing a button on the handset keypad. Ambiguities in state may be catastrophic to the handset and require a complete power cycle to reset. These drawbacks of the conventional systems may result not only in the loss of data but may also result in the loss of an incoming call. Accordingly, what is needed is a system and method that overcomes these problems with the conventional systems.